The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-02-10
.AUCH EINE LIEBE.'


Do you know what hallig isi It 10 .
small broken, jagged piece Of ground that
projects above the waters OF the North
sea, which washes the west coast OF
Schleswig- Holstein. Once beautiful islands
lay here, inhabited by the brave, hardy
Frieslanders, whose motto had been
through many centuries, death rather
than slavery" and who up to this day
have submitted to no master, and nc the
present time the Friesland marshes are
inhabited only by peasants. f,
Floods have nearly washed away these
islands and left only small bits, upon
which the sea still gradually encroaches.
Often in single night hundreds of lives
were lost, and when the sun again ap-
peared the high sea swept where happy
homes had beeen, and over their graves
the waves danced and the shark swan In
pursuit Of his prey. The men on the
larger islands gradually built high dams
and dikes, until they at last succeeded In
erecting defenses that protected their lives
and property. But whore only two or
three families lived they could not afford
the labor and expense, and but for the
ingenuity of the people on these small
halliRs when the foods came, everything
would be destroyed. Their houses were
built in the middle Of the halIig, where 1t
is the highest. Entertainments OF tough
clay, sometimes twenty feet in height, are
constructed around them, and into this
strong foundation are driven the beams
and piles which support the roof. If the
wild pillows now break over their de-
lenses, the husband fees with wife and
children, with his sheep and his best goods
and chattels, to the roof, and only In rare
cases does the flood reach this safe asylum.
But seldom . year passes in which the
turbulent waters do not, at least once,
thunder at the house doors with heavy
blows, when the whole hallig is o wild,
foaming, frightful sea, rushing and roar
ing, with its numberless dreadful heads
and cruel white fangs stretching out after
its victims. Then the, Inhabitants fall
upon their knees, praying to the Almighty
to succor them, as they listen in fear and
anguish to the bowling of the storm, to
the rush of the waves, to every blow that
death strikes against their closed shutters.
Such fearful days and nights como only in
spring, when winter departs in wrath be-
cause his reign Is over, and in autumn,
when the heavy storms rage. In summer
the hallig presents a peaceful, quiet scene,
and Is covered with long, reedike grass.
Swarms Of sea gulls are lowering over IL,
Of which many thousands are Matching;
and with their eggs furnish delicious food
TO the families. Then the hong haired
sheep bleat and frolic, and the halligman
fishes and rows in his boat to Thisam and
Tondern, with eggs, hides and the produce
of the sea, which he exchanges for flour
and potatoes, hemp and wool. Then the
wives and children run ut low tide to seek
on the black, bare sea bottom crabs and
mussels, crawfish, oysters and amber, and
tho young men hasten away to Hamburg,
Bremen and Holland, and travel half the
world over, yet always again return to the
mists and storms Of their beloved hallig.
Many Of the more experienced men cruise
as pilots and bring many ship safe into
its harbor, for which service they often
carry . bag of shining silver thalers home.
Now it happened several years ago in q
small hallig, not far distant from Amran,
. single family dwclt on o bit of firm
ground, or rather there dwelt there the
last remnant of q family, young giri,
Anna MUIR, who had lost father, mother
and brother, and who was now the only
possessor of the hallig and all that it con-
tanned. This girl heiress inspired n senti-
ment warmer than friendship In the
breasts of many of the young men, and
could have had her choice of dozen brave
fellows, but she was hard to suit, rs heir
esses are wont to be; at the same time she
was cordial to all, and none could find
fault with her Strong and self-reliant
she stood in high leather shoes and parti-
colored gown, and when she sometimes
went to the church in Amram with her
handsome hair braided with red ribbons
snf T..
head, from under which the fresh face
looked cheerfully out, the neat jacket, the
waist with its row Of bright buttons, and
her neck the heavy silver chain, then there
was great commotion among the young
men, and none there but would declare
that she was the most beautiful Of all the
maidens, even though the girls Of Amram
wore front of satin embroidered with
flowers. Many o man envied the blonde
haired cousin, Lorenz Karsten, who had
the good fortune to live with Anna on the
haIlig, and who was her protector and
escort. Yet, eagerly as they wished for
her favor, mono spoke slightingly Of the
fortunate one, for Lorenz Karsten was q
man highly respected. Few were as
skilled as he in guiding ship; none rs
well as he knew the waters from Elbe to
north Denmark. He was the best pilot
on the island, and had been for several
years steersman Of Q Hamburg frigate that
sailed to the East Indies.
Then he returned and did not 60 again,
for his young kinswoman, Anna MUIR,
had become an orphan. With her on the
hallig he now had his home, and never
was little spot Of earth kept in finer
order. Lorenz Karsten was thin and
bony, as the Frieslanders are who 1.-Two on
the islands, in consequence of the sharp
sea mir, but in strength and courage none
could compare with him; and his face,
with the bright blue eyes, the high fore
head and the thin, delicate nose, would
have been considered remarkable had fatc
willed that he had been born noblemnn.
But here, with his rude surroundings and
his hands hardened by labor, while some
eyes rested with pleasure on him, thcro
were none that bore him ill-will and many
that loved him. where he outstretched
his hand all went well and quickly;
where he entered was success, and that
he would marry Anna MUIR seemed in
evitable. Most people wondered why it
had not already occurred, but it was re-
marked by others that it went with
Lorenz as with the rest Of the world, and
that his ungrateful cousin, for whom he
did so much, would do nothing for him.
One Sunday morning MUIR, in her fine
crimson dress, her sash with the flashing
buckle and her hair braided with bright
ribbons, took her cloak from the closet
and prepared to set out for the church.
At tho table sat Lorenz Karsten, quiet
and thoughtful, his head leaning on his
hand, occasionally. looking through his
fingers toward the girl, and then turning
his face again to the window. Without
circled the white mist over the hallig that
seemed to be waiting for the sun. to mount
higher and disperse It. The maid was
busy and singing at her work. Within
the room all was tidy and comfortable, as
neat and bright as . little jewel box.
Rows of blue plates and cups stood on
the dresser, shining metal utensils were
hanging above, and on the wall licked the
great house clock. At length the young
man rose and paced to and fro with great
strides, pulling his high seaman's boots
still higher and buttoning the short
jacket with the great horn buttons close
to his throat, SO that nothing could be
seen of the wide, overlapping, white col
lar and India silk handkerchief. u
"Well, now" asked Anna presently,
''why ore you striding across the floor at
this rate?'
because must speak," said he, land
the words do not come reatlily.n